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Three Ways To Evolve Your Marketing Program In 2018

Jon Bacon is the VP of Marketing for SureCall, a U.S. based cell phone signal booster manufacturer, selling in North & South America.

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Ten years ago, we were all learning to tweet, poke, post and like. Now, thanks to a second social media revolution around big data and advertising, we are using all of those same skills to interpret hard numbers and focus on hypertargeting.

I found my way into marketing and communications because I was not passionate about math. I am accustomed to measuring things analytically but have learned to embrace spreadsheets and hard data. It can sound like a cross between accounting and statistics classes, but this is marketing in 2018. If a leader is not already using data, then now is the time to start.

Of course, that's only one small part of what we do as marketers, and many other aspects are continuing to evolve. As the industry changes in 2018, here are some ways a smart marketer can stay on top of trends:

Consumer Targeting: Are you ready for machine learning and artificial intelligence?

As data gets bigger and target lists get longer, the sheer volume of information to master has become simply untenable. Marketing leaders have begun turning to resources that can understand and incorporate all of the variables together.

The next major advance in marketing technology will be the incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning, which are already helping enterprises in other departments. As marketing continues to join the data revolution, expect AI and machine learning to make a big splash.

But not every company is ready to jump straight to these advanced tools in 2018. Properly utilizing AI and machine learning presupposes a solid foundation of targeting and often requires expertise and understanding of the technology. Simple targeting will usually accomplish the objectives of a marketing leader before taking the leap to AI.

Personalized Content: What is the right time and place?

The original concept of a blog as blocks of text has changed, but content -- much of it in the form of interactive video and graphics -- is still king. Marketers continue to produce amazing content, but without pairing that with data, the clicks and conversions will be slow in coming.

A key skill in 2018 will be finding the right time, place and method for delivering your content to each individual consumer. Insights that come from social media profiles of your company page can tell you what type of media your customers read, when they read it, where they lean politically and much more. Understanding and interpreting this data can inform your decisions as to when each customer is most receptive to your great content.

The data scientist title is a newfound addition to many marketing teams, and experience interpreting data is a skill necessary for predicting consumer interest and relevance. Developing a firm understanding of the right metrics will give marketers an advantage in delivery in 2018.

Mobile Marketing: Where do we find people?

Total digital media usage is up 40% in the last three years, according to comScore’s 2017 U.S. Cross-Platform Future in Focus study. The same study also determined that 70% of media was consumed on mobile devices. Consider how often people watch videos or view digital media on their phones -- that number is only going to rise.

Learning where customers find information about a company is every bit as important as how to deliver the information. Finding and developing mobile platforms for all that great, personalized content will become a core skill in 2018.

Marketing leaders have analyzed data for years. And now, with more information than ever before, the insights are incredible. Developing next-level skills will help any marketer stay relevant in 2018. What are some skills you’ve seen evolve over the past five or 10 years? Please share in the comments below.